Association Perspective

Michael D. Hogue, PharmD, FAPhA, FNAP, FFIP, Executive vice president and CEO of APhA

APhA is pleased to announce that we’ve entered into a joint venture with the California Pharmacists Association (CPhA) and an Australian-based human resources technology firm, Locumate, to change the nature of pharmacist staffing. HealthShifts, LLC, is more than just a locum tenens agency. Rather, this new venture will put pharmacists in the driver’s seat in determining the nature of professional services in which they want to engage.

How is HealthShift’s model different from the other big pharmacist relief agencies? Primarily through arming pharmacists with details of the practice location where shifts are available prior to committing to work. The proprietary artificial intelligence–powered system details specifics about staffing levels, dispensing volumes, immunization volumes, and expectations regarding non-dispensing clinical services to be provided by location. In addition, the platform allows for purely clinical staffing opportunities, where credentialed pharmacists can be matched to fill patient care shifts in virtually any setting where a pharmacist is needed. Best of all, pharmacists have the ability to provide candid feedback on locations that fail to fulfill their disclosed staffing. APhA and CPhA members will have primary access to the most desirable work locations.

APhA’s Board of Trustees felt that making this strategic investment would place pharmacists in an ideal position to control their own work environments. HealthShifts has the potential to change the way pharmacists work and have a positive influence for change to support adequate staffing across the industry regardless of practice site or setting. We believe that this joint venture with CPhA and Locumate is one important step among many toward taking back our profession.

I’ve written multiple columns and blogs about the changing nature of pharmacists’ work and the work environment. We’ve seen understaffing of community pharmacies in particular lead to burnout, contributing to an exodus of pharmacists from the practice setting and in many cases from the profession entirely. In recent months, this same issue has begun impacting hospital pharmacies to a greater extent.

APhA has worked closely with many partners in the profession to address workplace issues. For example, we’ve worked with the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations to launch and maintain an anonymous reporting tool for working conditions that may lead to either well-being or patient safety issues. The Pharmacy Workplace and Well-Being Reporting (PWWR) tool has been used by hundreds of pharmacists to document system improvements that must be made. APhA then communicates the PWWR findings to employers, state boards of pharmacy, and other associations, with our recommendations for practical steps that can be taken to improve the workplace. APhA’s Board has made permanent our Pharmacist Well-Being Task Force to ensure practical initiatives are moved forward within APhA’s strategic priorities. We will now also use these data to help inform transparency in staffing through HealthShifts.

This is just one more way APhA is supporting you, our members. HealthShifts is launching in California this fall. You can indicate your interest by visiting the HealthShifts website (https://healthshifts.ai/). APhA and CPhA members will be given preferential access to opportunities as they become available.

For every pharmacist. For all of pharmacy.  ■